PORTLAND – Dan Marois of Poland Spring was recently named the 2007 recipient of the Edward Bernays award given by the Maine Public Relations Council.

The council gives the award to an outstanding public relations practitioner who has made significant contributions to the field of public relations. In making the award, they recognize not only the person’s career contributions but also their record of service to the community.

The award is named in honor of Edward Bernays, often considered the “Father of Public Relations.” This is the highest honor given by the Maine Public Relations Council to one of its members.

Marois is a communication specialist for the Distribution and Returns Divisions at L.L.Bean in Freeport. He formerly served as director of marketing for Franklin Community Health Network in Farmington, after serving for 10 years as community relations manager at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston.

He is a past president of the Maine Public Relations Council, and also served as the Golden Arrow Awards chairman. In the community, he’s been involved as the board chairman for the United Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, board chairman for the Tri-Valley United Way and as a board member for Community Concepts.

Marois and his wife are co-owners of Mystery for Hire, a theater troupe that offers murder mystery dinner theater, musical revues and improv comedy. He is also writes theater reviews for the Sun Journal.